Improvement in gate-latches



J. NEILL.

GATE LATCH.

Patented May 22,1877.

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIoe.

JOHN NEILL, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATE-LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 190,976, dated May 22,1877; application filed October 21, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, JOHN NEILL, of St. Joseph, in the county ofBuchanan and State of Missouri, have invented a new and valuableImprovement in Gate-Latches; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description. of the construc tion andoperation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representationof a vertical section of thecatch-plate. Fig. 2 is a face view of the same with faceplate partiallyremoved, and sectional view of the latch-plate. Fig. 3 is an inside viewof the face-plate. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are details.

This invention has relation to means for fastening gates; and itconsists in the combination, with a recessed catch-plate having anangular footflange and a ribbed face-plate, of a slide and spring. Italso consists in certain other details of construction, whereby verydesirable results are obtained as hereinafter shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A designates the latch ortongue. Its forward end a is made broad. and provided with an angularborder, b. At its rear end the latch is provided with journals 0. Bindicates the attachment-plate, whereby the latch is secured to thegate. This plate is provided with a central rectangular enlargement, O,which is recessed from the rear, as shown at d. The front wall of thisenlargement is slotted vertically at e for the passage of the latch,ledges or shoulders f being left on each side of the slot. D D representjournal-seat blocks, each of which is laterally recessed toward thefront on the inside, as shown at g, and provided with a journalseataperture, h. When these blocks are brought together on each side of thelatch, the apertures h receive the journals of the latch and form seatstherefor. These blocks are designed to be introduced with the tongue orlatch into the recess d, and to fill the latter neatly. The plate B isprovided with screw-holes k, for the passage of the screws, whereby itis attached to the gate. The blocks D D are held in the recess d,between the material of the gate and the ledges f of theattachmentplate. E represents the catch-plate, which is designed to besecured to the gate-post. its upper end is longitudinally recessed, asshown at F, for the reception of the pressure-slide G, the marginal wallw of the recess being curved outward at the corners thereof, as shown atu, to provide inside spaces for the shanks of the fasteningscrews, whichare designed to pass through the holes 2. The pressure-slide G extendsdownward through the opening H at the lower end of the recess F, andterminates in a transversely-angular end, K, which, in its lowestposition, abuts against the shoulder l of the plate. Above the slide isarranged the spring L, which serves to press the former downward with acertain amount of elastic force. Over the recess F is fitted aface-plate, P. which is provided at its corners with screw-holes 2,cpposite the holes z of said recess, so that the same screws which serveto fasten the attachment to the gate-post will hold the face-plate toits position. On the inside face of this plate are arranged ribs 1,which extend longitudinally, and form a slideway for the pressureslideG. Side and end lugs n, on the inside face of said plate, serve toengage with marginal notches n of the wall of the recess F, and preventall lateral and longitudinal movement of the face-plate when duly fittedin position. At its lower end the face-plate is extended, as shown at R,to form an exterior guard for the latch and slide in their relativemovements.

T represents the lower end or foot of the attachment-plate E, which isusually provided with a screw-hole, h. Above this is arranged, oppositethe transverse angular end of the pressure-slide G, a transverseA-shaped flange, V, which extends outward from the plate underneath, andat a short distance from the angular end of said slide. Between thelatter and the A-shaped flange a transverse passage orthroat, q, isformed, having on each side a wide opening, which gradually decreasestoward the central line, as shown. When the gate is closed the tongue orlatch A is designed to pass between the angular slide and the flange Vuntil the enlarged portion or head a is entirely through and engageswith the bevel of said flange, which lies on the opposite side from thegate. In this position the spring presses the slide down upon the backof the latch, and holds the latter to its engagement with thecatclrflange V.

In order to lock the gate, a set-screw, J, is provided in the wall ofthe recess F, to engage with the slide G when in its lowest position.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the recessed catchplate E, having the A-shapedfoot-flange and the ribbed face-plate P, of the slide G and spring L,substantially as specified.

JOHN NEILL.

Witnesses CHAS. ETSOHMANN, GEORGE FANNING.

